Frame attachment for potato diggers



L. R. LEE

FRAME ATTACHMENT FOR POTATO DIGGERS June 3o, 1925. 1,544,541

Filed Sept- 23,' 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 M Elktoz mug @WW www June 30, 1925.

1,544,541 1 R. LEE

` FRAME ATTACHMENT FOR POTATO DIGGERS Filed Sep- 1924 5 Sheets-Shea?. 5

55755K LEE" m WMMM Patented June 30, 19.25.

.UN[rsuv STATES- 1,544,541 PATENT oFFiCr..

`LEsTEnn. LEE, or PnEsaUE ISLE, MAINE.

FRAME ATTACHMENT non PoTATo morenas.

' Appli-cation led September 23, 1924. Serial No. 739,442.

To all whom t may concern:

' Be it known that I, LESTER R. LEE, a citizen ofthe Uni-ted States, residing at Presque Isle, in the county of Aroostook and State of'- Maine, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Frame Attachments for Potato Diggers, ofy which the following is a specification.

This inventionv appertains to farming machines and more particularly to a novel tractor device for connection with .fa-rm implements such as potato harvesters or diggers and the' like. i

rIhe primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel frame for permitting the expeditious vconnecting ofy a potato digger with a drive engine,whereby they potato digger can be effectively operated over a field without they use of draft animals or tractors'.

A'further object of the invention is the pro-vision of a novel wheeled frame for snpporting the drive engine, transmission and associate parts thereof and the vforward end of the digger for permitting the ready connection of the drive wheels of-the digger with the transmission.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel frame iny which the forward endY of the digger is adapted to'fit, the frame receiving a supporting axle forthe digger, anda novel brace carried by the frame for lsupporting the engine. and for receiving the forward or front beams of the digger, the rear drive wheels being fitted close to the frame whereby the'device can conveniently ride between rows of vegetation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved frame for the purpose specified, which will be durable and efficient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacturel and one which can be placed upon the Vmarket at' a small cost.

With thesev and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and forma-tion of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe improved frame, showing parts thereof broken away and in section and illustrating the means of connecting the drive engine and associate parts and the digger thereto.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same, Figure 3 is a transverse section! through the frame taken on rthe line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction ofthe arrows,

Figure t is a transverse section through the rsame taken on lthe line 4 4' of Figure 1 'looking in thefdirecti'on of' the arrows,y

illustratingY the novel form of brace forre-v ceiving the rear end of the engine and' the forward end of the lift or front beams-of the digger. Y c -Y Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views the letter vA generally indicatedv the improved frame and B the digger whichis to be associated therewith.

The digger B' is of the usual or anyv preferred construction and can be of the type placed upon the market by the lHoover Manufacturing Company and as shown includes the usual elevator frame 7, plow 8 and the forwardly extending lift or front beams 9 to which the front truck is ordinarily connected.

The improved frame A includes a pair of side beams 10 and 11 which can be formed of any desired material possessing the necessaryv tensile strength. The beams *10 and 11 include-front parallel portions 12, which are offset. asfaft 13 and integrally connected to,- gether by a front b-ar 13, which can con# sist of overlapped extensions 15. lThe rear ends of the beams 10 and 11 include elongated spaced'parallel portions 16 which are connected'to the parallel portions 12 by inwardly divergi'ng connecting portions '17. By the arrangements it can be seen that vthe frame includes a relatively large rear portionanda relativelyfsmall front narrow portion. The front'bar 14 supports any preferred tylpe of dead axle 18, the terminals of vwhich carry steering knuckles 19 for the front steering wheels 20. A suitable-steering mechanism 21 is provided for operating thejsteering knuckles vand this mechanism Acan be lof any preferred conventional type. As shown the steering post 21 is supported by a bracket 22 secured to the frame A. The extreme forward end of the frame hasv bolted thereto as at 23 atransversely extending U-Shaped cross brace 24: y

on which the forward 'end ofthe drive engine indicated bythe reference character 25 is adapted to be placed. The terminals of the cross brace 24 are provided with seats 26 on which can be bolted a conventional type ofradiator'27 `for the cooling system of the drive engine 25. The portions 12 of the side beams 10 and 11 support a novel transversely extending' frame 28 which forms an important part of this invention. This frame 23 includes a lower substantially V-shaped sect-ion 29 yprovided with upstanding arms 30 which are bolted or otherwise secured as at 31 to said portions 12 adjacent to the converging portions 17 of. the frame A. This section 29 receives and supports the rear end of the drive engine`25, that is the iy wheelcase thereof and the e-ngine a-nd frame is further braced by conventional radius rods 32. The transverse frame 28 also includes a bow-shaped upper section 33 the terminals of which are provided with laterally extending feet 34: which are bolted or otherwise secured as at 35 to laterally extending seats 36 formed on the upstanding arms 30 on the lower section 29. The central portion of the bowed upper section 33 of the transversely extending frame 29 is provided with an uspstanding struck out yoke 36 which is arranged at the longitudinal center of the main frame A. This yoke 36 receives the forward end of the lift or front beam 9 of the potato digger B and the lift or front beam 9 is secured in place by means of a pivot bolt 37. Now it is to be noted that the rear end of the frame receives or straddles the forward end of the potato digger B and that the rear terminals of the portions 16 of the bars 10 and 11 of the main frame A supports an axle 5 forthe said potato digger, on which are fitted the drive wheels 6. By this construct-ion it is obvious that the potato digger can be readily connected to the frame and that the frame will fo-rm a continuation thereof.A4

Supporting'blocks 28 are bolted or otherwise secured to the beams 10 and 11 adjacent to the converging portions 17 thereof and these blocks 28 support the transmission housing 29 of the drive mechanism, N ow it is to be understood that the drive axles of the transmission are to be connected in any desired way to the drive wheels 6 and as shown drive wheels 40 are fitted on the outer ends of the drive axles of the transmission and these sprocket wheels are arranged in longitudinal alignment with sprocket wheels 41 secured to the drive wheels 6. Sprocket wheels 32 are trained about the sprocket wheels 40 and 41. By this construction it can be seen that a novel drive has been provided. A seat is so arranged on the frame A as to permit the operator to control bothv the operation of the digger and the drive mechanism therefor and it is' to be understood that extensions can be made for the foot pedals to permit the convenient operation thereof from the drivers seat.

frame which will permit the convenient conn-ection of a conventional. potato digger with a drive mechanism, whereby the potato digger can be operated overa field without the use of draft animals or a power plant carried by the digger itself.

Changes as to details may be made with-V out departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new 1s:-

1. The combination with a conventional potato digger including, a forwardly extending lift beam, of awheeled frame for supporting a drive engine for the digger including apair of spaced side beams arranged to receive the forward end of the digger therebetween, the rear ends of the beams supporting an axle for the digger, a transversely extending. frame carried by the side beams for supporting the rear end of the crank case of the drive engine, and means for securing the forward end of the lift beam to the said transversely extending frame. p

2. The combination with a conventional potato digger including a 'forwardly extending lift beam, of a frame therefore including spaced side beams arranged to receive the potato digger therebetween, the rear terminals of the side beams receiving an axle for the digger, a front engine support'carried by the forward end of the frame, a rear support for the engine carried by the frame arranged in rear of the front. engine support including an upper bon/shaped section,

means for detachably securing the lift beam to the central portion of said upper bow section, and transmission supporting block-s carried by the side beams in rear of said rear support forV the engine.

3. As a newv article of manufacture, a drive attachment for farm implements compris-- ing a frame including spaced side bars including rear parallel portions arranged to receive a potato digger therebetween, said rear portions being spaced a relatively great distance, and front parallel portions spaced a less distance lthan said rear parallel portions, a dead axle secured to the front end of the frame, steering wheels carried bythe dead axle, U-shaped front support for receiving the front end of the engine, a rear support for receiving the rear end of the engine including a lower substantially V- shaped section upon which the rear endof the engine is adapted to rest, upstanding arms fbrmed on the lower section secured to the sidebars, an upper bow transversely extending section secured to the lower section, an upstanding yoke formed on the upper bow shaped section for receiving the lift beam of the farm implement.

4f. A frame for the purpose specified com prising a pair of spaced side bars including an enlarged rear section, a transversely extending ront'support for reeeiving the -ront end of an engine, a transversely extending rear support including a V-shaped lower see? tion secured to the side beam for supporting the rear end of the engine and an upper bow shaped section, an upstruek yoke formed on the central portion of the upper bow seotion, bearing blocks carried by the enlarged portion of the frame in rear of the rear support for supporting a transmission, a rear drive axle, drive wheels on the aXle fitted close to the frame, sprocket wheels carried by,the terminals of the transmission shaft, sprocket wheels connected with the drive wheels and sprocket chains trained about l5 said sprocket wheels.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LESTER R. LEE.

Witnesses:

J. lV. LoANE, n PAULINE CHASE. 

